1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer systems and web sites. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for programming hot keys on a computer system keyboard to direct a web browser to a selected web site, wherein the selection is based upon interests of a computer user.
2. Related Art
As use of the Internet continues to expand at an exponential rate, millions of new users are accessing the Internet for the first time each month. Unfortunately, many of these new users have little familiarity with computer systems, and are often intimidated by the cryptic syntax that is often required to navigate to web sites.
In order to simplify the process of accessing web sites, some computer system distributors have begun to incorporate “hot keys” into computer system keyboards. These hot keys are additional keys, beyond standard alphanumeric and symbolic keys, that enable a computer system user to immediately access web sites associated with the keys. For example, when a computer user activates a hot key, the computer system begins running a web browser, if the web browser is not already running. Next, the web browser is automatically directed to an address of a web site that is associated with the hot key. In this way, a user is able to access a web site with a single activation of a hot key on the computer system keyboard.
These hot keys are typically associated with web sites belonging to affiliates of the computer system distributor, and the computer distributor typically receives some type of compensation for facilitating easy navigation to these web sites.
Unfortunately, hot keys are presently programmed for specific web sites without regard to the interests of the computer system user. Hence, a computer system user is provided with a hot key, even if the user has no interest in the web site associated with the hot key. Conversely, a web site owner can end up paying to provide a hot key to users who are unlikely to use the hot key to access the web site.
What is needed is a method and an apparatus for programming a hot key based upon the interests of a user of a computer system.